Held at the America’s Cup pre-party organized by BZH New York in Manhattan on May 5, 2016

At 33 years old, Hennebont native, Devan Le Bihan, has been sailing for as long as he can remember. “I didn’t come from a family of sailors, but I’ve been competing since I was 11 or 12, turning professional when I was 19. As part of Groupama Team France, I’m number 1 in the front of the boat, and I’m in charge of the gennaker: hoisting it, lowering it, and rolling it up. I’m also in charge of maneuvering the keel and the foils, as well as popping the wing to start it back up when there’s a bit of wind at the end of a maneuver.”

Q: Was this your first time in New York?

A: I’d already been to New York, for a race on Long Island Sound. Navigating around these buildings, with the Statue of Liberty in my line of sight, was awesome. But the body of water itself is very different, very challenging, with strong currents and wind tunnels created by the buildings. But the conditions are the same for everyone – it’s just a matter of adapting to your surroundings!! It was very physically demanding on Sunday, and being prepared was more necessary than ever in order to avoid becoming overwhelmed.

Q: Finishing in the top three in New York is an excellent result – how does the team feel?

A: This weekend was our first top three finish, and it was encouraging after a good winter training session, with two boats and one coach. We started our training program well after the others, but hard work pays off, and we made up for a good portion of our delay, and we’re not far from where we want to be: 4th in Oman, 3rd in New York, and in one month – Chicago. We can’t wait!

A: The French community in New York was so welcoming. We felt the New Yorkers’ excitement building throughout the weekend, and Sunday was incredible with a huge audience. Thursday’s cocktail party, organized by BZH New York on a Wall Street rooftop, was awesome and was a great opportunity to meet the Bretons of New York.

Q: With Chicago coming up in one month, what are your plans between now and then?

A: Today (Tuesday, May 10), we’re returning to Lorient with two weeks of physical training coming up, then we’re going to Italy, and we’ll be in Chicago on June 11th and 12th. We hope to meet tons of Bretons over there as well!